John E. Walker

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, John Walker lived a life of purpose while holding his loved ones near. He was more than willing to work hard to support the family he loved, and he was thrilled to witness his family grow to include grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even a great-great-grandchild. It was no secret that John treasured his wife, and together they experienced so many of the best things that life has to offer. Life was not without times of trial for John, but his faith sustained him when the storms of life came his way. Although he will be deeply missed, he leaves behind a timeless legacy that his loved ones will proudly carry on in his footsteps.

Life was anything but easy during the 1930s as the entire decade was cloaked in the hardship of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and things only became more strained with a drought that lasted nearly two years. Despite the trials around them, Shelby and Beaulah (Potts) Walker were able to shift their focus to an exciting time in their lives as they announced the birth of the baby boy they named John E. on April 23, 1934, in Sidney, Ohio. He was the second youngest child in his family that included his siblings, Robert, Charles, Frank, Paul, Bill, Francis, and Jerry.

In many ways John was a young boy of his generation. He grew up playing around town with his friends and going to the movie theaters. At a young age he developed a love for animals. John enjoyed taking his dog on walks around town with him and even kept the dog outside the movie theater while he and his friends were inside watching the movie. When they left, they picked up the dog and went on their way.

After moving to Claypool, Indiana, tragedy struck in Johns life with the death of his father by the time he was only 13. His mother continued raising the boys the best she could. John attended local schools, and it was while playing basketball that his coach presented him with the opportunity to move to Shorewood, Wisconsin, to help an older couple who had no children. Because the couple was well off, John experienced numerous opportunities in life as they treated him as their own. He worked hard to help the couple out, and he also attended school in Shorewood. One of the things John was most appreciative to experience was something he had only read about - flying. In fact, he was even able to fly an airplane himself!

Following his graduation from high school, John was eager for all that life had in store. He returned to the Warsaw area and married Marlene Keppler in 1953. Together they were blessed with the births of two sons, Kenneth and Kevin, and three daughters, Kelly, Kathy, and Karla. John moved his family back to Wisconsin where he worked as a supervisor at Formart. After 10 years, they moved back to Warsaw where he took a job with Zimmer for the 20 years that followed.

Not to be forgotten during this time was Johns introduction to his true love. Her name was Marilyn (Jackson) Farber, and they were introduced by friends. It was amazing that John and two of his good friends and co-workers from Zimmer would end up marrying three sisters from the same family. John and his sweetheart exchanged their vows on June 29, 1976, and John welcomed four more daughters and a son into his life. They initially lived in Tri Lakes but moved to Columbia City in 1988. With a family of five, John worked hard to provide for them. Many of their family vacations were spent visiting family members back in Indiana. John just loved being with family no matter what they were doing.

Throughout his life John was a man who was passionate about his interests. He had a very strong faith and had attended Tri Lakes Baptist Church, New Life Bible Church, and Columbia City Church of the Brethren. Even as John struggled to get in and out of the church and having to navigate all the stairs with only one leg, he loved being there and found a way to make it work. He was an avid supporter of his church in their building fund to make the church handicap accessible. Johns love for animals remained, and he found such companionship in his dogs, Babe, Duke, and Baby Doll. He enjoyed woodworking, being outside in his garage, and also working in the yard.

Life was not without times of trial for John. In February of 1982, he and Marilyn were devastated with the death of their daughter, Cinda, and her three children at the hands of a house fire. Again, life would never be the same for John after he lost the love of his life, Marilyn, on October 16, 2013.

All who knew John Walker would agree that he was an extraordinary man to know and love. He was kindhearted, genuine, and passionate about the people and things he loved. It was easy to see that John treasured nothing more than he did his faith, and it was his faith that gave him the strength and courage he needed to face the day at times. Blessed to spend the majority of his life with his true love, he was filled with unspeakable joy to watch his family grow to include numerous loved ones he adored. Generous beyond compare, he was willing to help others in ways both great and small. Deeply loved, John will never be forgotten.

John E. Walker, 82, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2016, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Ft. Wayne. Survivors include his sons, Ken Walker, of Pierceton and Kevin (Dawn) Walker, of Warsaw; daughters, Kelly (Don) Snyder, of Ft. Wayne, Kathy (Bruce) Matter, of New Berlin, Wisconsin and Karla Walker, of Syracuse; step-daughters, Karen (Tom) Gust, of Ft. Wayne, Julia (Craig) Fanson, of Columbia City and Venia Geiger, of Columbia City; brother, Jerry Walker, of West Pittston, Pennsylvania; 20 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. John was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Marilyn Walker; brothers, Robert, Charles, Frank, Paul, Bill and Francis Walker; step-son, Richard Farber; and step-daughter, Cinda Cox; and four grandchildren.

Visitation is 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, December 30, 2016, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with Pastor Dennis Beckner and Pastor Zach McCue officiating. Burial to follow at South Whitley Cemetery, where John will be laid to rest next to his wife. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in his memory to Columbia City Church of the Brethren towards their building fund. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send family condolences or sign the guest register book.